Messages

286

Collector Corner / Lionel New Haven F3 set 2507W from 1958

« on: August 17, 2021, 08:42:28 PM »

Here's an interesting Super O set from 1958. Lionel 2507W set with single motor 2242P New Haven F3 and matching 2242C b-unit and five cars.

Here's the set with the com  ponent boxes:

Some close ups of the locos:

 

 

 

There should be a billboard sheet with the set, but I didn't get it. I bought this from the original owner. It was a woman. Her dad got it for her when she was 2, but she wasn't allowed to play with it much. She also had a 628 44-tonner set that she was allowed to play with. The 628 set was not this clean.

Here's the cars -- 3444 animated gondola, 6464-425 New Haven boxcar, 6424 flatcar with autos, 6468 New Haven double door boxcar, and 6357 caboose.

 

 

 

Everytime the car boxes are handled the flaps get a little worse. They're all there, but they fall off easily. This is really common with train boxes that have spent decades in Arizona. I think it's air conditioners pulling all the moisture out of the air leaving the boxes dry and fragile.


Here's the set box, component boxes, and small bits:

 

 

 

 

And it comes with a circle of Super O track.

 

This is a neat set that cost $65 new.

287

Collector Corner / Re: 1941 Sears 8125 Set 229 0-2689TS plus 2800 cars

« on: August 17, 2021, 02:09:08 PM »

I got another 2666TS tender a few weeks ago. This new one came with a 1664 with the number RS in the recess for the plates and some 2800 series cars with nickel plates. 2812 in green, 3859, and 2817 red. I didn't realize what this was until I was sorting on Sunday and saw the tender.

Anyway, I just noticed this tender does not have an oval air hole for the whistle:

 

That's with a postwar 6466WX. So I went downsatirs and grabbed mine.  None of my plastic prewar tenders have the air hole:

 

Looking at the bottoms I have a 2666T, a 1666TS, and a the new 2666TS.

 

None of these had whistles in them.  Do any of the prewar plastic tenders have whistle holes? I think all the postwar ones do.

288

Collector Corner / Re: Lionel 726 Berkshire Variations 1946-50

« on: August 15, 2021, 06:37:53 PM »

I was packing the 1950 736 Berkshire up and took these quick photos:

 

 

The loco box is dated 1950 and tender box is 2671X. The X means it has Lionel Lines lettering rather than the Pennsylvania lettering of the turbine tender.

 

In 1950, the 2671WX tender came with two types of lettering. The first type was short and thin which is much harder to find, and then later the tall fat letters were used.

Here's the two types of tender lettering:

 

 

In 1951, the 12-wheel tender was dropped and the cheaper 8-wheel 2046W was used. Here's a photo of the 2046W and the two versions of the 2671WX:

 

289

Collector Corner / Lionel 726 Berkshire Variations 1946-49

« on: August 15, 2021, 01:22:38 PM »

Before I built the layout I put aside a nice 1950 736 Berkshire to run, but when I saw it on the  layout I decided I wanted a 1946 726 loco instead. The '46 berkshire has a cleaner boiler with stantions, an open area for the ecentric crank,  and no protruding e-unit lever.

Here's a 1946 berkshire (Top) with a later version:

 

The 1946 (right) also has a different frame and motor.:

 

Since I wanted one, I've been putting all the 726 locos I get aside with the idea I'd make up a nice one for the layout and sell the others.  The other night I sat down to look them over and found a weird one.

Here's four 726 locos in order with earliest at left:

 

The one on the far right has a simulated coupler on the pilot, but is otherwise the same as the one next to it so it's removed from the following photos.

Did you see the weird one? Here's another view:

 

Here's a bottom view of the the two '46 berks:

 

Might just be a later frame and motor in a 1946 shell? 

Compare the handrails:

 

Here's the earlier photo of the tops so you can  compare the handrails on three locos.

 

The odd one has cotter pins holding the handrails, but no raised collars like the later berk.

I think the parts are interchangable so this could be a construction by a former owner or repair shop. I'd rather have the better stantions, but it's pretty much what I was going to build for my self.

My work desk is a mess since I'm putting up more shelves in that room.  Later, I'll open these up and see what's inside.

290

Collector Corner / American Flyer Wide Gauge Pochontas Set 1928-32

« on: August 14, 2021, 01:02:35 AM »

This si a neat set. It has a bell and a rod that makes the bell move as the larger bell inside rings! You can see a close up of the bell moving in the video.

This set has a 4637 Shasta Locomotive with matching 4340 Club (combine), 4341 Pullman, 4343 Dining Car, and 4342 Observation. The color scheme is Rookie Tan and Green.

Some photos of the set:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Setbox Label:

 

This set was shipped to Knotts Berry Farm in the 1950s as can be seen by the writing on the top of the box:

 

Car boxes are labeled on an end and on top, loco only on top:

 

 

291

General Discussion / Re: any story's with real trains

« on: August 11, 2021, 11:40:01 AM »

In the mid 1980s, I was in PA for my grandad's funeral. A few of us took the train to NYC from Trenton. There were dozens of GG1s and S2 - (Like the 402 or IVES locos) on sidings just before the tracks dropped down to go under the river.

In the 80s I worked on the roofs of high rise buildings that allowed you to look down on the yard like a train layout. 15 years ago they were still using an SW switcher like a Lionel 622.

292

General Discussion / Re: Recent Additions

« on: August 11, 2021, 12:27:59 AM »

I bought a hoard of tinplate a few weeks ago. This 153 with wire handrails was included. I had the 153 in dark olive with wire handrails, but no other wire handrail locos. So this is an addition to the collection.

 

In the same tub was this interesting windmill. No markings on it. Not part of a steam engine set because the fan is attached with a screw, not on a shaft. Probably just a cheap German Chirstmas Village toy from the late teens or 1920s. I'm sure I can find some place on the layout for it.

293

Collector Corner / Re: Lionel Outfit 348E 1926-28

« on: August 09, 2021, 11:17:10 AM »

I like these bigger cars too. I have a 4 car Mohave 402 set with 6-wheel truck 418/419/431/490 cars tahyt you can see on the layout against the wall, and a 5 car 402 set with 10 series trucks.

I sold the orange 428 cars and the pea green 418 cars when I thinned out the collection. The orange cars had repainted roofs, and the green cars had IVES decals. If I found either set in the wilds and got a good deal on it I'd keep it. That's where the dark green 9 set came from.

I think both of the dark green sets deserve a place on the layout. They satisfy my need to have variations.

294

Collector Corner / Lionel Outfit 348E 1926-28

« on: August 07, 2021, 10:30:18 PM »

Lionel standard gauge outfit 348E was made from 1926 through 1928. The same outfit without the electric reverse was sold in 1926 and'27. The set contains a 380 or 380E loco and 428 Pullman 429 Combine, and 430 Observation. The cars in this set have maroon windows. 

These 428,429,and 430 cars are heavy and the so the loco has two large cast iron weights in it. I had a photo, but cannot find it now.

In 1929, Lionel replaced the loco with the 9 and changed the car windows to orange from the maroon seen above. There were other changes in the set too. For a comparison of this set with the 1929 9 set see:

1929 Lionel Standard Gauge Outfit 349

295

General Discussion / Re: TCA convention Survey

« on: August 07, 2021, 08:29:05 PM »

I am going over for the first few hours of trading and then leaving.  At least that is my plan right now. I can comfortably fit 2 tables  of trains into the backseat and trunk of the car.

Based on my conversations with LA train people, no one thinks it will be cancelled. I know people from outside CA that are planning on going.  That might change though. 

I don't know anyone who is going to fly to the convention. This is because they don't want the hassle or the risk.

296

General Discussion / Re: My Unique Train Item

« on: August 07, 2021, 08:13:22 PM »

Here's something that I've never seen before. I have boxes  of old bulbs I put aside, and pulled out two flats of 14V large globe white frosted.  I am wiring the buildings and use these large bulbs because I like the glow. These are Japanese bulbs probably from the 1950s.

 

The very first bulb I pulled of the tray lit very briefly and then went dark.  I had to look at it twice to figure out what was up with it:

 

The bulb is assembled, then a bit of soldier is used to seal it. This one never got the soldier. It's the only one of these fifty.

I always thought the filament was sealed inside the glass globe. Maybe this one had two faults?

I'll out these on the freight sheds and in the buildings.

297

General Discussion / Re: My Unique Train Item

« on: August 07, 2021, 02:57:26 PM »

It's called an Aside or Tangent.  I'm not sure which. You can research the difference and let us know.

298

General Discussion / Re: My Unique Train Item

« on: August 07, 2021, 02:06:08 PM »

I usually do a higher opening bid to prevent trains from selling too low, but I screwed up with the coal loader.

It's better than throwing it out.

299

General Discussion / Re: My Unique Train Item

« on: August 06, 2021, 02:21:05 PM »

Jim - Everything I sell on eBay is a deal.

I tell myself that it's better than throwing it out, but for some items like the gray 97 coal loader that netted me $12 this week, I'm starting to doubt that.

300

General Discussion / Re: My Unique Train Item

« on: August 06, 2021, 12:40:30 AM »

Here's something that isn't unique, but being one ofa few is close enough.

This is an IVES 3250 Loco that has added slots and 3252 plates.  It looks like the loco was lettered and then slotted and repainted.  I think the 3252 locos with plates have embossed recessed squares on the doors that the plates sit in.

 

 

I took one of the plates off to see what is underneath.

 

 

 

This was one of my earliest ebay purchases from about 1998. This loco was in a lot with a Lionel 82 semaphore with a nice peacock base I wanted  for my layout and some other items including IVES freight cars that are long gone.  I bought the whole lot for $40. That might even have been postpaid!

This has just been sitting on the shelf for decades. I did see a similar one on eBay in the past 10-15 years so it's not unique.  I think the other one I saw was maroon, but I'm not sure.